


A Time for Farewells

by Icy_Hot_Soba



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Game Spoilers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 18:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11363019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icy_Hot_Soba/pseuds/Icy_Hot_Soba
Summary: Ignis wakes to an unsettling nightmare. One that felt all too real. It is Gladiolus who has to explain to Ignis that his nightmare is actually reality...





	A Time for Farewells

**Author's Note:**

> *Spoiler Warning*  
> The story takes place immediately after Altissia. I had to edit this form it's original form due to Episode Ignis' teaser trailer.

Ignis jolted awake, panting in unison with his increased heart rate. Sweat began to drip onto ruffled sheets as Ignis attempted to stop trembling. That nightmare seemed much too realistic to be a mere dream; it was as if he had actually experienced every second of a distant memory. Of course, Ignis told himself he knew better. If it were all true, that meant he had lost his eyesight. As he began to regain his composure, Ignis glanced around the blank room. Everything was pitch black...odd, but nights had begun to grow darker. If all lights were turned off in the middle of the night, he would not be able to see anything in the room. That was the only logical explanation Ignis could fathom.

A large, burly hand softly laid on top of Ignis’ much smaller hand, startling the slender man into a quiver. Peering in the direction of the mystery figure, Ignis had trouble making out any sort of shape. Everything was simply a fuzzy shade of black, though something that close should be somewhat visible even in complete darkness. Now, Ignis’ concern was beginning to match his heart rate which was steadily rising once again.

“It’s just me, Iggy.” The familiar voice reassured Ignis, immediately calming his nerves almost completely. The royal advisor took a deep breathe, collecting himself best he could. The warm hand of his dear friend was enough for Ignis to temporarily forget his dilemma. A quick breath in, and Ignis managed to find his voice. Unfortunately, the sound that came out was much more shaken than Ignis had hoped for,”Oh, Gladio...Why is it so dark?”

A long, awkward pause filled the room. Ignis squeezed his partner’s clammy hand, waiting for Gladio to speak without much luck other than a pained groan. Growing tension seemed to make the room even darker, if that was somehow possible. Ignis wiped a blanket of sweat from his forehead with his left hand, stopping abruptly at his arch. _What was that?_ The young man could have sworn he felt something there, so a second stroke of his palm was called for. There it was again, almost like a shallow carving just above his brow. Ignis’ eye began to ache, growing into a dull headache within seconds of his light touch. This time, Ignis began to trace the mystery shape, but a hand larger than his own quickly stopped the action. The hand slowly pulled Ignis’ frail hand away from the mark, squeezing it to the point Ignis grew uncomfortable. Gladio spoke softly with a stern tone,“Ignis, we have to talk…”

By now, Ignis had discovered his truth between blurred lines, but the advisor’s disbelief kept him from accepting that the nightmare he experienced minutes ago could have actually been part of his short past. Ignis squeezed Gladio’s hand best he could, being that his hand was a mere third of the size. Ignis took another shaky breath, exhausting much slower than before,”Out with it, then.”

Gladiolus cupped Ignis’ hand in between both of his as he gently caressed Ignis’ feminine fingers with his thumbprint. The chef could hear an exaggerated exhale from his companion. Gladio drew closer to Ignis, making an indent in the bit of bed beside Ignis’ right leg. He took a staggered breathe, as if his airway were slightly blocked or bloated. As Gladio spoke, his voice slowly deteriorated,”A few days ago, you were captured by Ardyn. Prompto and I tried to get to you sooner, but when we brought you back, they did all they could. It’s...not dark, at all. It’s the middle of the day, Ignis...They said you might get some of your sight back over time, but...the odds…”

It was a surprise Gladio spoke as long as he did. At this moment, the brute was in tears, yet Gladio was doing his best to keep the drops from Ignis. A few slipped onto Ignis’ warmed hand, rolling down his pale wrist. If not for these couple of tears shed, Ignis would have been in a worsened state, but his mind was clouded by his ‘motherly instinct.’ Withdrawing his hand from Gladio’s embrace, Ignis grasped his partner’s hands carefully. “I may be blind, but I am no imbecile...let me touch your face.”

Ignis heard some sort of brushing, possibly two fabrics colliding, and then, his hand was brought to a soft, gruff surface. _This must be Gladio’s face._ Ignis brushed Gladio’s damp cheek, accidentally brushing the side of his nose. ”How long have you…”

Gladiolus turned away from Ignis, his hand now touching only cool air. Ignis brought his rejected hand down to rest on the comforter with a soft sigh. His heartbeat had finally gone back to its usual pace, but his heart felt emptier than ever. Disbelief refused to let reality sit in for Ignis. So many questions stirred in Ignis’ mind that he had been given a migraine focused in his left eye.

“Whatever you need, I’m here.”

“Keep my mind busy,”Ignis whispered with a wavering voice. Reality was on the verge of settling in, mainly because Ignis’ mind had begun to spin out of control from his attempt to focus on something, anything other than _this_. Ignis scanned the room only to be met with complete darkness. Ignis could picture furniture, such as a bed or chair, from memory, but he did not have the slightest bit of insight on the layout of his surroundings.

A thumping developed in the back of the brunette’s head, drawing closer as Ignis became more frantic. He would never see anything, or anyone, ever again. This thought made time stand still. He had seen the last of Noctis, Prompto, and Gladiolus. Ignis could no longer recall their faces. What Ignis saw were faint fragments of the ones he loved in a mirage. The more he focused on them, the farther they disappeared into the void. Ignis crumpled his bed sheets as small drops fell onto his right pants leg, the young man cowering into an upright fetal position. Ignis felt warm droplets slide down his plump cheek. He felt a chill running through his body as salty water began piling in his amaurotic eye faster than it could produce tears.

Ignis felt darkness creeping in like a raven hunting it's prey on a dreary midsummer night. Just as the bird prepared to swoop in on its measly prey, Ignis felt something press against his lips. It was a warm sensation he knew well. Gladio’s hand came to rest against Ignis’ coarse hair, carefully pushing Ignis closer to him. The sudden action caused Ignis’ mind to blank. The kiss lasted several seconds before Gladiolus pulled away, only to press their foreheads together gently. Ignis felt soft puffs of air against his chin. The puffs drew closer as Gladio rested his nose against Ignis’.

“You’re not alone,”Gladiolus stated. His words resonated in Ignis’ head. In the wake of this dismay, Gladio had prevented Ignis’ panic attack with a simple action. It was enough to remind Ignis that he did not stand alone in all of this. He would always have Gladio by his side. This drew a small smile onto the brunette’s face.

Ignis traced Gladio’s arm to the hand still against his hair, forcing the burly hand to retreat against Ignis’ chest. Ignis intertwined his slender fingers in between Gladio’s beefy ones. Ignis waited a moment before searching for his partner's face. Gladio was still pressing against his forehead, so there was minimal searching involved. Ignis outlined Gladio’s facial features in search of discovering the man’s expression. This time, his face was dry. There was no scar, so Ignis concluded he was pressing against Gladio’s left cheek. Ignis used his thumb to scan Gladiolus’ face, quickly stopping on his lips. There was a curved edge, a tip higher than where the rest of his lips resided. _Is he smiling?_ Ignis would have to learn how everything felt against how it looked. This time, Gladio answered Ignis’ thoughts,”I’m smiling, Angel.”

“Angel?” Ignis questioned this new nickname immediately. Usually, Gladiolus called him _Iggy_. The occasional _hun_ slipped in his speech from time to time, but that was basically the extent of their _pet names_.

Gladio backed away from Ignis so he could stand. Ignis heard shuffling as he felt the remaining corners of the sheets being moved off of him. Gladio shifted Ignis on the bed, making enough room for Gladiolus to sit. The exchange ended in Gladio embracing Ignis protectively, one arm wrapped around his slender waist as the other held Ignis against Gladio. In a whisper, Gladio spoke in Ignis’ ear,”You’re too good for this world.”

Rose red colored Ignis’ cheeks, though he tried to hide this from his partner by cowering against Gladio’s broad chest. _Tch_ was Gladio’s reply. The brute chuckled while squeezing Ignis a bit more. The blind man rolled his head to the side, resting his ear against Gladio’s heartbeat, a rather comforting sound. Ignis let out a relaxed sigh,”I love you.”

Ignis felt a soft kiss against his forehead just before Gladiolus replied,”I know.”


End file.
